Gender Lupa

About Gender Lupa

A podcast in English that takes a closer look at gender politics in Spain. Interviews with people who have insights to share about how these issues are shaping Spanish politics, life, and culture. genderlupa.substack.com (https://genderlupa.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast)

Publisher

Annette Pacey

Category

news · society & culture

Language

en

Explicit

No

First episode

7 Mar 2025

Latest episode

15 Oct 2025

Latest episodes

9 episodes in the feed.

1. 

   15 Oct 2025

   Laura Freixas (Ep #7)

   Host Gender Lupa interviews writer Laura Freixas about motherhood's impact on feminism, the divide in Spanish feminism, and the shortcomings of queer feminism, revealing insights into contemporary cultural issues.

2. 

   3 Oct 2025

   BONUS EPIDODE: Bernedo Summer Camp Abuse

   Spanish feminist Zuriñe Ojeda discusses the disturbing allegations of abuse at a summer camp in Bernedo, where children were reportedly pressured to shower naked with adults, in an interview on Gender Lupa.

3. 

   15 Jul 2025

   Róisín Michaux (Ep. #6)

   Journalist Róisín Michaux discusses with the host the IGLYO Proud Pupils conference in Barcelona and how the European political ecosystem influences gender policies, clarifying Orwellian language and questioning activism styles in this interview.

4. 

   20 Jun 2025

   Nagore de Arquer (Ep. #5)

   Psychologist Nagore de Arquer discusses the pressures on girls in a hyper-sexualized society and how some view a trans identity as a solution, in this interview.

5. 

   11 Jun 2025

   Amparo Domingo (Ep. #4)

   Host of Gender Lupa speaks with Amparo Domingo of Women’s Declaration International about Spain's self-ID law, known as the Ley Trans, and its consequences for human rights, especially women’s rights, in Spain in this interview.

6. 

   7 Apr 2025

   Maricruz Garrido (Ep. #3)

   In this episode of Gender Lupa, we’re focusing on schools. I’m joined by Maricruz Garrido, an English teacher with many years of experience at both primary and secondary levels in Spain, and a member of the feminist teachers’ organisation DoFemCo. We talk about the concept of coeducación in Spain and how new ideas about gender and identity are replacing feminist principles in Spanish schools. We go through the trans protocol used in Catalan schools and question whether it actually benefits the trans-identified children it's meant to protect—let alone other children. We also look at an example of a classroom activity promoted by trans activist organisations and find that it seems to reinforce gender stereotypes rather than challenge them (see links below). Some of this may make for uncomfortable listening. I think we all want to believe that policies introduced in the name of protecting vulnerable groups do exactly that. But what if they don’t? What if enforcing gender identity ideology in schools is actually harming the very children it claims to help? If you disagree with me, I’d love to hear from you—feel free to leave a comment on Substack. Let’s start a conversation. If you’ve been forwarded this email by a friend, you can get future episodes direct to your inbox by signing up here (it’s free!): Guest Info Maricruz Garrido Pascual is an English teacher with decades of experience, working with children from nursery to secondary school levels. She’s a member of the feminist teachers' organisation DoFemCo. Watch a video (https://youtu.be/QD4LfZBW5RQ?si=nWnmTbL72jr_5RdF) of Maricruz giving a presentation on non-sexist language at the 2024 DoFemCo conference (in Spanish). Twitter/X: @Mcruz_Garrido (https://twitter.com/Mcruz_Garrido) Resources & Links DoFemCo DoFemCo (https://dofemco.org/) – Docentes Feministas por la Coeducación (Feminist Teachers for Coeducation) * Downloadable guides (https://dofemco.org/guias-descargables/) * Letter templates (https://dofemco.org/familias/) La Coeducación Secuestrada (https://dofemco.org/libro-la-coeducacion-secuestrada/) – A book about how gender identity ideology is replacing the feminist aims of coeducation (in Spanish) Catalan Trans Protocol * Download the original document (https://xtec.gencat.cat/ca/centres/projeducatiu/convivencia/protocols/atencio-acompanyament-alumnat-transgenere/) (from the Catalan Department of Education) * Read a Google-translated English version (https://drive.google.com/file/d/12vRi84KXm0KIMExg7K6CFijoijXJVLyV/view?usp=sharing) (as of March 2025) Classroom Activity We discussed the activity “En la piel de Daniel” (In Daniel’s Skin), created by Chrysalis, a trans activist group that runs workshops, lobbies politicians, and publishes teaching guides. In this activity, children are encouraged to question whether they are a boy or a girl based on which toys, clothes, and activities they prefer. Yes, really (!!!). The activity is on page 23 of this teacher's guide (https://chrysallis.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/GUIA-PARA-DOCENTES.-Educacion-en-Diversidad-e-Igualdad.pdf). En la piel de Daniel also appears in storybook form (https://chrysallis.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/En-la-piel-de-Daniel.pdf) (in Spanish), where Berta, a girl who likes things stereotypically associated with boys, decides she must be a boy. The teacher helps by doing the classroom activity. All the children feel uncomfortable dressing in gender non-conforming clothes and being addressed by the wrong name—except Berta. She enjoys “boy clothes” and “boy things,” so according to the story, she must really be Daniel, a boy. If you think that sounds regressive, you’re not alone. View a Google-translated English version of the storybook (https://drive.google.com/file/d/1fyXwDEA5A-IqwaAFo3n5sMKZJU6GgaJv/view?usp=sharing) Other Things We Mentioned * "Run Like a Girl (https://youtu.be/qtDMyGjYlMg?si=eRP9qD8COPMPNPWR)" – A video campaign highlighting gender stereotypes * Garenak Emakume Feministak report (https://drive.google.com/file/d/1h7yt4sw3sVgq6j2CS0V4QyGttLVd5DI-/view) – On youth transitions in Navarra, Spain (in Spanish)Maricruz mentions very young children being transitioned by their families. According to this report, 12 children aged 5 or younger (including two 3-year-olds) were seen by transition services in Navarra from 2012–2022. * AMANDA (https://www.amandafamilias.org/) – A support organisation for families with kids questioning gender. We didn’t get into this in the episode, but I hope to speak with them in a future one. More on Social Transition Finally, I encourage you to check out this older (2021) episode of (https://substack.com/home/post/p-159214637)Gender: A Wider Lens (https://substack.com/home/post/p-159214637), recently republished on Stella O’Malley’s Substack. It covers social transition—that is, changing a child’s name, pronouns, records, and grouping them with the opposite sex at school (toilets, changing rooms, overnight stays, sports, etc). Because it doesn’t involve medical interventions, it’s often seen as harmless. But Sasha and Stella, both therapists, argue that it’s a major psychosocial intervention in a child’s life. In some schools, children are socially transitioned at very young ages—sometimes without parental consent or despite teacher concerns. Is it the role of schools and teachers to be doing this? Get in Touch Email: genderlupa@gmail.comTwitter/X: (https://twitter.com/genderlupa)Gender Lupa (https://open.substack.com/pub/genderlupa) Even better, tell me what you think in the comments: Support the Podcast If you're enjoying the podcast, the best way to support it is to subscribe, leave a review wherever you listen, and tell your friends. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit genderlupa.substack.com (https://genderlupa.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1)

7. 

   24 Mar 2025

   Silvia Carrasco (Ep. #2)

   Silvia Carrasco on, well, just about everything: In this episode of Gender Lupa, I’m joined by Silvia Carrasco. If you’re not already familiar with her work, you’re in for a real treat. With decades of experience in both academic research and feminist activism, Silvia has many insights to share into the current state of gender politics in Spain. I certainly learned a lot. We discuss the two separate demonstrations held in Barcelona for International Women’s Day this year, the stark differences in their approaches to feminist issues, and the difficulty of getting feminist perspectives into mainstream media when gender identity ideology dominates the discourse. Silvia also shares key findings from a report by Feministas de Catalunya on the Catalan Health Service’s Servei Trànsit, which highlights an alarming rise in the number of young girls seeking medical interventions related to gender identity. We examine the shift in co-education from a feminist framework to one shaped by gender identity ideology—and what that means for children and teachers in schools. We also talk about the ongoing efforts to silence Silvia and other feminists raising these issues, and how rights are sometimes more fragile than we think, but we also well as the resilience and resurgence of Spain’s radical feminist movement. Guest info: Silvia Carrasco Pons is a Professor of Social Anthropology at the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona and director of the EMIGRA-UAB Research Group. She’s a specialist in migration, education and inequalities. Silvia is also an active feminist campaigner: The president of Feministes de Catalunya and co-founder of DoFemCo (Docentes Feministas por la Coeducación - a feminist teachers organisation). She is the lead author of the book La Coeducación Secuestrada (Coeducation Hijacked) which is a feminist critique of the encroachment of gender ideology into education in Spain. In 2024 she was a candidate for the Partido Feministas al Congreso (the feminist party) in the European elections. Twitter / X: @SilviaCarrascoP (https://x.com/SilviaCarrascoP) Resources & Links: Feministes de Catalunya (https://feministes.cat/es/) Report on Catalan Health Service’s Servei Trànsit - Executive Summary in English (https://feministes.cat/wp-content/uploads/Transit-Executive-Summary.pdf) Cass Review Final Report (https://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/ukgwa/20250310143933/https://cass.independent-review.uk/home/publications/final-report/) - The UK government commissioned independent review of gender identity services for children and young people. Video (https://youtu.be/lOfJZcc0b4Y?si=RGDd87Whwrjoa2NE) of Silvia presenting the findings of the report to the Spanish Parliament (in Spanish) DoFemCo (https://dofemco.org/) Docentes Feministas por la Coeducación (a feminist teachers organisation). The book about the replacement of the the feminist objectives of coeducation with gender identity ideology: La Coeducación Secuestrada (https://dofemco.org/libro-la-coeducacion-secuestrada/) (in Spanish) Spanish news report (https://youtu.be/ZRp7HGwlI5w?si=E4eOi9LZNmCrHdVY) (2024) including an interview with Silvia when trans activist protesters attempted to prevent her teaching her classes at Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona and called for her to be sacked (in Spanish). Get in touch: Email: genderlupa@gmail.com (mailto:genderlupa@gmail.com) Follow on Twitter/X: @genderlupa (https://x.com/GenderLupa) Support the Podcast: Enjoying the podcast? The best way to support it is to subscribe on Substack https://genderlupa.substack.com/ (https://genderlupa.substack.com/) review it wherever you listen, and tell your friends. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit genderlupa.substack.com (https://genderlupa.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1)

8. 

   8 Mar 2025

   María Reglero (Ep. #1)

   Episode Summary: In this first episode of Gender Lupa, I’m joined by María Reglero, a Spanish feminist with extensive experience in international human rights and women’s rights. We explore the unique aspects of Spanish political culture, the achievements of Spanish feminism, and the rise of identity politics in Spain. María shares insights into how the political party Podemos sought to harness public outrage over the La Manada rape case to instrumentalise the Spanish women’s movement. We introduce Spain’s national self-ID law and point to a few of the far-reaching consequences for women’s rights. We also touch on the feminist organizations resisting these policies, the tensions over who gets to call themselves “feminist” and the backlash against feminism from the manosphere and the far right. Guest info: Maria Reglero is a Spanish feminist and women's rights independent consultant with 20 years' experience in senior advisory and project management roles from countries in East and Southern Africa, West and Central Africa, the Middle East, South Asia and South East Asia. Her expertise spans international human rights frameworks with a focus on women's rights, children's rights and equality between men and women.You can follow Maria’s YouTube channel here: https://www.youtube.com/@unwokespain (https://www.youtube.com/@unwokespain) Resources & Links: Here are a few articles with details of some of the examples of negative consequences for women of self-ID laws and policies in Spain which we referred to in the episode. Some relate to the national Ley Trans self ID law and some to the laws and policies in Spain’s autonomous regions. 📌 Men changing their legal sex in order to avoid charges under the gender based violence law: https://reduxx.info/im-a-woman-now-spanish-man-changes-sex-to-female-in-apparent-effort-avoid-harsher-penalties-for-abusing-his-wife/ (https://reduxx.info/im-a-woman-now-spanish-man-changes-sex-to-female-in-apparent-effort-avoid-harsher-penalties-for-abusing-his-wife/) 📌 Men changing their legal sex in order to benefit from special provisions for women in traditionally male dominated workplaces like the military: https://reduxx.info/spain-male-soldier-who-identifies-as-a-lesbian-sues-military-for-e50000-after-being-denied-access-to-womens-washrooms/ (https://reduxx.info/spain-male-soldier-who-identifies-as-a-lesbian-sues-military-for-e50000-after-being-denied-access-to-womens-washrooms/) 📌 Archive version of El Mundo Article (in Spanish) about Jonathan de Jesús Robaina Santana, who claimed a female gender identity after being charged with the brutal murder of his female cousin. Now convicted, he is in prison in the Canary Islands where he is undergoing gender transition related medical interventions, enjoys an individual cell, is officially called "Lorena" (the name of a woman he previously harassed) and is only searched by female prison officers. According to the article, the director of the prison signed an internal order that suggested he would be moved to a female prison unit when he completes his transition. Currently it is not known if Robaina is housed in the male or female unit because the prison argues that the law protects the privacy of the inmates. Maria mentioned in the episode that women's groups have been requesting this information. https://archive.ph/cjvNM#selection-565.112-565.145 (https://archive.ph/cjvNM#selection-565.112-565.145) Get in touch: Email: genderlupa@gmail.com (mailto:genderlupa@gmail.com) Follow on Twitter/X: @genderlupa (https://x.com/GenderLupa) Support the Podcast: Enjoying the podcast? The best way to support it is to subscribe, review it wherever you listen, and tell your friends. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit genderlupa.substack.com (https://genderlupa.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1)

9. 

   7 Mar 2025

   Trailer (Ep. #0)

   Subscribe here to receive new episodes directly to your email inbox. It’s free. Episode Summary: In this brief trailer for the new Gender Lupa podcast, I explain what the podcast is about and what you can expect to hear in future episodes. I’m Annette, the host. I’ve lived in Spain for about 15 years, and even though I speak Spanish and try to keep up with these debates, I still feel like I’m only just scratching the surface. There’s a whole story here that deserves a closer look. That’s why I started this podcast—Gender Lupa. Lupa means magnifying glass in Spanish, and that’s exactly what this podcast is about: taking a closer look at the gender debate in Spain. I’ll be talking to women who’ve found themselves in the thick of it—whether in education, politics, human rights, or sport. They’ve got insights to share, and luckily for us, they’ll be doing it in English. Chances are, you’ll hear something that challenges the way you think about this issue. And that’s the whole point. Let’s have those conversations, even if we don’t always agree. You can listen on all the usual platforms such as Apple Podcasts and Spotify but I’d recommend Substack (https://genderlupa.substack.com/), where you can comment and join the discussion. So, let’s get into it! New episodes directly to your inbox, completely free. Get in touch: Email: genderlupa@gmail.com (mailto:genderlupa@gmail.com) Follow on Twitter/X: @genderlupa (https://x.com/GenderLupa) Support the Podcast: Enjoying Gender Lupa? The best way to support it is to subscribe and review it wherever you listen, and share it with your friends. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit genderlupa.substack.com (https://genderlupa.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1)

Who has been a guest on Gender Lupa

Names identified in recent episode analyses. Showing up to five guests.

• Laura Freixas
• Zuriñe Ojeda
• Róisín Michaux
• Nagore de Arquer
• Amparo Domingo

Podcast Authority Score: 2 / 100

A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.

Quality

5

Social presence

0

YouTube

0

Engagement

0

Contact Gender Lupa

Guest appearances

Does not typically book guests

Based on episode analysis; this does not confirm that the show is currently accepting guests.